By Brianna Brinker, Staff Writer
The month of love is finally here! It’s time to buy some grams of candy, write sweet letters, watch Rom Coms, and eat some chocolate-covered strawberries!
February is an exciting month, but beyond all the Valentine’s Day events we all get excited for, it’s important to take a second and recognize what the month of February truly is about.
February is known for being “the heart month” which dates back to 1964 when President Lyndon B. Johnson wanted to raise awareness for the heart and blood vessel diseases. He then chose February to be American Heart Month, which shows the importance of taking care of our hearts physically and mentally.
Taking care of your heart can go two different ways. There are many ways to stay physically healthy, but spreading love, kindness, and building relationships with others can also make our hearts happy and healthy as well.
At the beginning of the new year, people tend to take care of their health. But as the year progresses, we stop and get distracted. However, keeping up with our physical health impacts our hearts very much.
Here are some things that you can do to keep up with your heart health, from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
Eat a heart-healthy diet. Some foods that are great for your heart include berries, fish, dark chocolate, pomegranate, walnuts, and green tea. Adding some of these foods into your day is such a great way to make sure your heart continues to be healthy.
Also, get active! Go outside for a walk in the sunshine or ride your bike around the block. Moving your body is a great way to keep your heart healthy.
Getting enough sleep is also very important for keeping your heart healthy. Sleeping at least eight hours a night is so important. A lack of sleep can cause heart disease, so make sure to go to bed at a decent time so your body feels refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Lily Glasglow, a sophomore majoring in nursing says “To keep your heart healthy you can eat right and do various exercises. For me, I love having a workout buddy, so it keeps me motivated to keep my heart healthy.”
Keeping your heart physically healthy is something we should all put on our New Year’s resolutions. Taking care of your heart isn’t just about physical health – it’s also important to nurture it emotionally.
Spreading love and kindness holds great value in keeping your heart healthy. Having a group of people who care about you is such a blessing. This February, make sure to focus on spending time with loved ones, including your family, your friends, significant others, teammates, and co-workers. The key to keeping your heart happy and healthy is sharing love with the people around you.
Family and friendships make the heart burst with love. The people who are there for you no matter what, who love you for you, who support you, and who are proud of you. Those people are the ones we need to keep close to our hearts and show them the love they deserve.
The key to keeping your heart healthy is also protecting it from harm. For example, knowing who and what our heart wants before entering into a relationship with someone holds such a high importance.
As young adults, we should learn what it means to be responsible when entering a relationship and taking a minute to make sure we’re in a relationship for the right reasons.
Know your worth, know your values, and know how to love yourself before loving someone else. Our hearts are so important and when they are impacted by emotional situations, it can take a toll on our health.
There are so many ways to make our hearts happy. Here are a few more examples. Handwrite cards to the people who are special to you, leave notes on people’s doors or cards with compliments to make their day. Have a Valentine’s picnic with your friends, go on a date with your significant other, and focus on who you love this month.
As the year progresses, make sure you’re doing something active every day, resting your body every night, and eating foods that take care of your heart. But most importantly, enjoy the moments you have with family and friends, express your love for the people around you, and show kindness to everyone.
Laugh, smile, and make memories because what the heart craves is love!
1 Comment
Always about the heart ! Great article